I am almost finished your recommendation, Bastard Culture, and I can only reach one conclusion.

We should make it possible for everyone to set the price of their content as easy as possible.

If you want to share for free, just set the default to zero. However, if you come up with a goody it should be just as easy to set a price you want.

If Google can make it possible to display and bid on advertising on the scale they have set up, it would be just as easy to make every piece of content on the web valuable monetarily.

What is an ad but a post?

The result would be a global circulation of capital that would make international free trade in information a major contributor to the stimulation of new economies.

Information does not want to be free, Howard. Information wants to have the price the market will bear. And you and I and everyone should see the value in sharing (advertising and brand identity) and caring (buying and selling for sustenance).

2 Responses to “Howard Rheingold: Sharing and Caring”

Grant,
First, as a seamstress, I love the jacket Howard is wearing and as an artisan, the belt buckle is something I would like to attempt to recreate; love the look.

Now, on the the next part of my comment; I agree with your hypothesis:
“Information does not want to be free, Howard. Information wants to have the price the market will bear. And you and I and everyone should see the value in sharing (advertising and brand identity) and caring (buying and selling for sustenance).”

It’s been tested, and replicated many time with “Free Puppies!”
People won’t take the puppies for free, believing their value to be related to money. Once given a price, even $20, the puppies are gone quickly.